Nashville upsets Anaheim with memorable Game 7 win

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Nashville Predators have teased us for years but haven’t had many actual playoff moments that your memory bank stores in a special place.

Until now, that is.

With all due respect to their first-round win over Detroit in 2012, against an aging Red Wings team they were actually the higher seed against, this seven-game upset series win over the Pacific Division-champion Anaheim Ducks is Nashville’s postage stamp moment.

“It means a lot,” Predators goalie Pekka Rinne said after leading his team to a 2-1 Game 7 win Wednesday night. “It shows a lot of character. I think as a group we can learn from this series. It’s a really good team we played against. There’s a lot of good things we can take from this series.

“Just moving forward I think we’re a better team already after this series and after this Game 7.”

The Predators move north up the Pacific Coast Highway for a second-round date with the San Jose Sharks, and no doubt again will be